1. Field of the Invention
The Present Invention relates, generally, to a board connector, and, more particularly, to a board connector in which a first terminal has high flexibility and rigidity, and a second terminal has a high rigidity at a first contact point and a high flexibility at a second contact point.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, board connectors are used to electrically connect two or more devices together, such as printed circuit boards to each other or an electric cable to a printed circuit board. Such types of board connectors are mounted on the surface of a printed circuit board and provided with a connector part which projects from that surface. An example of such a type of a board connector is found in Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2000-331731 and 2006-269418.
Further, FIGS. 11A-B illustrate cross-sectional views of a conventional board connector; with FIG. 11A illustrating a state before fitting and FIG. 11B after fitting. Referring to the Figures, receptacle connector 801 is mounted on a first circuit board (not illustrated), and plug connector 901 mounted on a second circuit board (not illustrated). Receptacle connector 801 has receptacle terminals 861 loaded in receptacle housing 811, which is made from an insulating material. Plug connector 901 has plug terminals 961a, 961b loaded in plug housing 911, also made from an insulating material. Further, receptacle housing 811 has a protruding portion 812 thereof, and plug housing 911 has protruding portions 912 thereof.
As receptacle connector 801 and plug connector 901 are fitted together, as illustrated in FIG. 11B, preferably by connecting receptacle terminals 861 and plug terminals 961a, 961b, the first and second circuit boards are electrically connected. In this case, as receptacle terminals 861 and plug terminals 961a, 961b come into contact with each other at two points, first contact point 865a, second contact point 865b, receptacle terminals 861 and plug terminals 961a, 961b come into multipoint contact with each other, which maintains the contact state thereof without fail. Moreover, the multipoint contact increases the removal force necessary to remove plug connector 901 from receptacle connector 801. Therefore, the fitted state of receptacle connector 801 and plug connector 901 is maintained with certainty.
However, in the conventional board connector, misalignment may occur between the fitting axes of receptacle connector 801 and plug connector 901 after either component is subjected to a great impact, possibly due to falling and so forth. In such a case, second contact point 865b may be unable to follow the misalignment and as a result, the contact may be interrupted. As evident from the structure shown in FIGS. 11A-B, flexibility of plug terminal 961a might be low, but that of receptacle terminal 861 is high at first contact point 865a, whereas both plug terminal 961b and receptacle terminal 861 have a high rigidity, respectively, at second contact point 865b and thus, a low flexibility must be shown at the same point. Therefore, second contact point 865b is often unable to compensate for misalignment that appears between the fitting axes of receptacle connector 801 and plug connector 901.
Nevertheless, since both plug terminal 961b and receptacle terminal 861 have a high rigidity at second contact point 865b, the removal force becomes larger, thus ensuring that the fitted state between receptacle connector 801 and plug connector 901 are maintained. At the same time, however, an insertion force which is necessary to insert plug connector 901 into receptacle connector 801 increases as well. Therefore, fitting workability for fitting receptacle connector 801 and plug connector 901 is degraded.